Outbound Email not Working and configuration assistance

[melzjm]

Hi, I would like to apologize first if my question may seem lame. I am a newbie in all sense of the word. I just got this job, the company does not have a ticketing system. We are using excel to track tickets and analyze SLA trend. So, in my pursuit to make my job easier and to keep this job, I suggested to user SIT after a long google search.

I went passed through the installation, the configuration even with my not even basic knowledge of mysql, php and the technicality of it. I have worked as a service desk before and was using BMC remedy, already installed & configured. I have nothing to do from my end but log tickets, that's all. So, when I suggested this job, I diddnt thought it would be this hard but I am willing to go through it, I just need some help and guidance, please. If you don't mind.

I am using WAMP as my web server. This is for me to evaluate first on my own. I am trying to use gmail as my smtp for my outbound and inbound email . I made dummy accounts in gmail for testing purposes. but then

Warning [2]
mail() [function.mail]: Failed to connect to mailserver at "smtp.gmail.com" port 25, verify your "SMTP" and "smtp_port" setting in php.ini or use ini_set() in mime.inc.php @ line 297 mail() send_mail() send_email() send_trigger_email() trigger_action() trigger()

Application Error [256]
Internal error sending email from trigger: send_email() failed in triggers.inc.php @ line 440 trigger_error() send_trigger_email() trigger_action() trigger()

I tried editing port to 495. I tried to read the forum for similar issues. Please let me know if there is something I am doing wrong or if there is something that I need to make this work for an evaluation before I propose to my boss that this will work for our environment.

Also, if this is approved by my boss. I will have to make this work so the rest of the support team will be able to access this remotely but I am not sure how to go about it. Please enlighten me. I am trying to immerse myself in your world.

Anything , would really be appreciated.

[Tomse]

hello melzjm, and welcome to SiT! and the forums.

The issue you are presenting is a very common one, there can be 2 common problems here.

1) Since SiT only sends mail through php.ini's setup, it doesn't do smtp auth.

2) you are trying to send a message using smtp.gmail.com this only works when the receipient is a gmail user, otherwise it blocks for mail relaying.
for your test it's ok, but not for a permanent setup (I think you already know this but I add it for the forum archive )

what it looks like to me is that you have a firewall on your laptop that blocks outgoing smtp traffic from PHP. try disabling the firewall.
if that doesn't work try typing the following from a command prompt

Code: Select all

telnet smtp.gmail.com 25

if you are running Vista or Win7 you might need to install telnet client from add/remove programs as it's not enabled pr default.

you should see something like this:

Code: Select all

Trying xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx...
Connected to gmail-smtp-msa.l.google.com.
Escape character is '^]'.
220 **************************************

if you do, your computer can connect to the smtp server and nothing past your computers netcard blocks the port, this could be if there's a hardware firewall between your computer and the smtp server at gmail.
which means you might want to look at an application protection on your local computer.

(this is the end of issue 2)

There might be more issues, but these are the most common ones I can think of based on your problem.

In the long run, if and when your boss approves.
depending on your server setup, you might have an internal smtp/mail server that can act as a mail relay (this might need a rule of allowance from the server SiT will be running from), if you don't this might be on the other side of your internet firewall, so you might need to setup a rule in your firewall (depending on how strict it is).
These are some things we need more info about if more help is required.

But lets first try and solve your testing issues

kind regards
Tomse

[melzjm]

Hi Tomse,

Thanks for the warm welcome! My apologies for the late reply.

So I tried to telnet smtp.gmail.com inside the office, it does not connect. It is blocked. There is a firewall running in my notebook but I cannot disable it since it is managed my the system admin. I tried at home, disabled the firewall, telnet to smtp.gmail.com port 25 is successful but when I still get the same error when I add an incident.

I will try to use my personal computer during the weekend and I will let you know. You are right, I have to make the testing work successfully before I get to know other complicated stuff.

Thanks,
Melanie

[Tomse]

hello again.

I'm just thinking here.. doesn't gmail.com need smtp auth ?

though as a @gmail.com mail endpoint it should accept mails for delivery without auth.

one thing to do is to test if you can send mails to a gmail.com account using a regular email client like i.e. thunderbird and set it's smtp server to smtp.gmail.com but without auth etc.

else you can try installing a local email server like : http://www.altn.com/Products/Free-Windows-Mail-Server/ (one of the results of a quick google search, free to use for 5 mailboxes).

cheers
Tomse

[Tomse]

did you get it to work, or can I mark this as resolved ?

cheers

[melzjm]

Hi Tomse,

Thanks for your help. I was able to make it work using an email client for testing but after a few days of testing, we abandoned the idea for noe because the reporting tool was not working as we needed. I really appreciate your help. Cheers!

[Tomse]

you're welcome.

out of curiosity, what kind of reports did/do you require ?

cheers